


Together We Have Been The Sun

by JoyfullyMellowTyrant



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU, Alpha/Omega, Discovery, Emotions and Stuff, Enabler, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Futanari, Hurt/Comfort, I'm reading these tags now and realizing this story sounds like complete trash, Incest, Kinda, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Pre-Canon, Sibling Incest, Smut, Strawberry Sunrise - Freeform, Tai is a wreck, Yang has a dick, heavily referenced bad home life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:06:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29828154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoyfullyMellowTyrant/pseuds/JoyfullyMellowTyrant
Summary: “Ruby.”Your mouth clicked shut almost before you realized, nearly swallowing your tongue as your throat closed, your head jerking up.Heat rolled off her in waves and her hair drifted in a nonexistent breeze, rising up like a golden halo behind her head. Yang was hunched over, bent nearly double from your grip on her jacket, her flushed face only inches from yours. Her teeth were clenched so hard tendons stood out on her neck, and there were tight lines across her face, her eyes burning with an almost feverish intensity.“You need. To calm down.” She ground out.You blinked. “I- what?”She swallowed harshly, and with a start you realized she wasn't breathing. “Ruby. You need to- to step back.”
Relationships: Ruby Rose/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 8
Kudos: 58





	Together We Have Been The Sun

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to ‘Blooded Hound’, by Xekstrin, which kinda, sorta inspired this. 
> 
> It was the first story I read that was written in second-person, and it was also the first Enabler story I read that actually got me interested. I tried to sprinkle in some similarities without just straight up plagiarizing, but if I went overboard feel free to let me know. 
> 
> That story has been taken down on both AO3 and FFN, sadly. I have a copy saved, though, so you can find me on my FFN account ‘ClownWhosFeelnDown’ and PM me if you want to read it. Don’t ask me to post it, I don’t plan to publicly upload it without their permission because 1- It’s not mine, and 2- It seems like they purposefully took it down, since it’s gone from both sites. Maybe they’re not a fan of Enabler anymore. But, it’s a great story that I still remembered even years later, and I would have been upset if it was gone forever. 
> 
> . 
> 
> This story is set before the show starts, while they were still going to Signal. And so, some of you may be asking how old Ruby is in this. 
> 
> The answer is, I have no idea. She’s however old you want her to be. Knock yourself out.

_Find the one you love and let them burn you,_   
_Let them burn you like the sun,_   
_Let your love and hate fuel your fire,_   
_And the more vulnerable you become,_   
_The hotter you will burn,_   
_Until you are nothing but molten ash,_   
_And when that fire cools,_   
_Your love will be hard cool steel,_   
_And nothing will break you,_   
_For together you have been the sun._   
_-Atticus_

> * * *

The room was dark by the time Yang crept downstairs, the sun having set hours ago. 

You sat, watching silently from your corner as she tiptoed across the room, towards the front door. You waited until her hand was on the knob before speaking up. “Going out again?” You asked, and flicked on the desk lamp. 

Yang stiffened, her shoulders forming into a hard line, and you could see her muscles stiffen. There was a beat of silence, but a moment later she swung around, sending you a forced smile. “Hey, sis! I was just, uh, going out for a run! Can’t skip leg day, right?" She laughed, rubbing the back of her head. 

She was wearing her jacket and jeans, still. The lie was so weak it would have been funny, if it didn’t hurt so much. 

You didn’t smile back. You didn’t move at all. You felt cold, listening to her. The weight in your chest dropped a little further. “You’re lying.” 

Yang's laugh cut off abruptly, her grin freezing in place, sharp and painful. The tendons in her neck stretched as she clenched her teeth, hard enough that you could see her muscles tighten, and your throat jumped as you swallowed. A smell like oil and gunpowder began to fill the room, wafting towards you, sharp and oppressive, and you felt yourself waver. Violet eyes flickered red for a moment as they met yours, and Yang lowered her arm from her head. “No, Ruby.” She spoke slowly, pronouncing each word clearly, pinning you in place with her gaze. “I was going for a run. Alright?” 

You shrank back, sinking into the couch under her stare. This- this wasn't Yang. This wasn't anger, or frustration, or stubbornness. This was _threatening_. You'd seen it before- she'd looked at Grimm like that, at bullies, creepy Alphas who didn't want to leave you alone, and, once, at dad. But never at you. She'd never stared down at you like that, exuding danger, the calm just before the eruption. You’d never realized how scary it was, and only now did you understand why everyone flinched when they saw it, why they slunk away with their shoulders hunched. 

You wondered what had broken between you, to make her look at you like that. You wondered if it could still be fixed. 

And for a moment you almost agreed. Almost gave in, nodded along and let her leave. Almost listened to the way your body was screaming for you to back down, to drop your eyes, to bend. 

Almost. 

“No.” Your voice shook, so you said it again, stronger. You tried to meet her eyes but couldn’t quite manage it, so you glared at her mouth instead. “No. You’re avoiding me.” 

Yang's face darkened, and her teeth bared in a snarl, a harsh parody of her grin from before. Her eyes deepened, swirling crimson and blazing like coals in the shadows cast by the weak lamp. Sweat beaded on your skin as the temperature rose, and you could feel your heart racing, your blood loud in your ears as she loomed over you, gunpowder and oil filling your nose. “Ruby-" She growled, warning clear in her tone, but you cut her off. 

“No!” You jumped up and stepped towards her, reaching out. 

She flinched away, pressing herself to the door. Hurt flooded your chest, and you started to let your hand drop. 

And then stopped. Reversed, grabbing hold of the collar of her jacket, ignoring how she recoiled. You gripped it until your fingers dug into the leather, until they ached, yanking her back. Setting your jaw, you looked up to meet her eyes. 

“Yang-” 

She slapped your hand away. 

You froze. Stiffened, muscles locking up in shock. Your heart plummeted straight down through the floor, leaving your chest cold. 

She had- she’d never done that before. Never pushed you away like this. Rejected you. You weren’t prepared for it. 

Your hand stung, throbbing lowly. “Yang?” You hated how small your voice was. 

She let out a sharp huff, and her face tightened. “This is a bad time, Ruby.” 

Her voice wasn’t angry, anymore, really. Just annoyed. Just… dismissive. Like you were bothering her. In the way. 

You wished she would go back to yelling at you. Then, at least, she had sounded like she still cared. 

You stood there with your head down, staring at her boots. She was right there, so close, but you’d never felt farther apart. There was a separation between you that hadn’t been there before, a distance that you couldn’t bridge on your own, and she refused to help. Didn’t want to help. 

Seconds passed, and the silence stretched out, further and further. Finally Yang sighed, her shoulders rising and falling heavily. “Sorry, Rubes.” She muttered. “I gotta go.” And she turned away. Leaving. 

You felt lost. For the first time in your life, you felt really alone. Helpless pressure welled up in your chest, and your eyes stung. Looking at her back, it was like the world was crumbling beneath you. Everyone else could leave. Mom, dad, Qrow. You didn’t need anyone else, as long as you had her. But now… now, she was walking away. 

You wondered if it was your fault. If, somehow, you were the reason your family kept falling apart. 

Your hand rose nearly on its own, fingers catching the edge of her jacket. “No.” You whispered, voice cracking. “Don’t- don’t do this again. Don’t leave.” 

Yang stopped. Lurched to a halt, like her feet were suddenly anchored to the floor. She spun around, looking back at you. You kept your head bowed, not meeting her gaze. 

You’d told yourself you wouldn’t do this- wouldn’t beg. That you’d be strong. You’d confront her, face to face, get to the bottom of whatever was going on with everybody. That you’d _make_ her listen, and if that still wasn’t enough, fine. You’d look her in the eyes while she told you why. 

But here you were again, already on the verge of tears. Clinging to her like a child. You didn’t know why you’d even bothered trying. Yang had always been stronger than you, anyways. 

You jumped when her hand snapped up, clamping around your wrist. You gasped at the heat of her touch, loosing your hold on her jacket in surprise as you instinctively tried to yank your hand back, but her arm didn’t budge. You didn’t think she even noticed. Her throat flexed as she swallowed harshly, her grip tight enough that you knew you’d bruise. “Ruby. It’s not like- that. I’m just- just going out for a little bit. I’ll be right back. Alright? I just gotta- gotta go for a while. ‘K?” 

“No.” Your vision began to blur, and you yanked again, using both hands to try to pull your wrist free, but it may as well have been set in stone. “Just talk to me, Yang! Just tell me what’s going on. What’s wrong?” 

Yang fumbled to catch your other hand, grabbing on and holding you in place. “No, just- just listen. Nothing's wrong, Ruby. You’re overreacting. This'll all blow over, I just gotta- just gotta take care of something. Alright? Everything’ll be back to normal soon.” 

You shook your head, scattering tears across her shirt, struggling against her. “Stop- you keep lying! Stop lying!” You cried. Giving up on escape, you reversed direction and grabbed the collar of her jacket, yanking her towards you instead, making her stagger. “You’re barely home during the day, you leave every night and come back smelling like- like-" You cut off, shaking your head angrily and blinking the wetness from your eyes. “You and dad aren’t talking, and you won’t even stand in the same _room_ as me! Your angry all the time- I _heard_ you and Uncle Qrow last week, right before he took off.” You’d come home to find him with his face bloodied, stumbling away from the house, and Yang inside, seething, standing in the wreckage of the kitchen. “Dad’s drinking again and barely leaves his room, you’re picking fights, and no one will even _look_ at me anymore! Everyone's avoiding me, and no one will tell me what's wrong, and-" 

“ **Ruby**.” 

Your mouth clicked shut almost before you realized, nearly swallowing your tongue as your throat closed, your head jerking up. 

Heat rolled off her in waves and her hair drifted in a nonexistent breeze, rising up like a golden halo behind her head. Yang was hunched over, bent nearly double from your grip on her jacket, her flushed face only inches from yours. Her teeth were clenched so hard tendons stood out on her neck, and there were tight lines across her face, her eyes burning with an almost feverish intensity. 

“You need. To calm down.” She ground out. 

You blinked. “I- what?” 

She swallowed harshly, and with a start you realized she wasn't breathing. “Ruby. You need to- to step back.” 

You stared up at her, confused. You were closer than you'd realized. When had that happened? She was right- you probably should step back. 

You didn’t. Your head felt… fuzzy. Light. Yang's eyes blazed, and her shoulders heaved like she'd been training, and you half expected her knuckles to be taped. Heat buffeted you, pulsing in time with her heart. You shifted closer, skin buzzing from proximity, her aura sparking against you. “Yang?” You asked. Her name slipped free, natural as breathing, and she shuddered, muscles spasming. “What...?” 

Your eyes slid away from hers. Dropped down, to her lips. They were peeling, covered in indents from her teeth. She’d been biting them again. She only did that when she was stressed. Ragged, like the rest of her. She hadn’t been taking care of herself lately, and it was starting to show, starting to fray around the seams. Still, it hardly mattered. There was a wild edge to her now, an untamed danger exuded with her every move, and it only drew you deeper. 

Her lips looked soft. You wondered what they tasted like. 

Some part of you faltered at the thought, a tiny voice in the back of your head screamed that something was wrong, what were you doing, you shouldn’t be thinking that, this was _Yang_ _._ But it was faint, and so far away you barely even noticed. You swayed closer. 

Yang watched you, solid as stone, eyes burning in the dark. “ _Ruby_.” She whispered, voice pleading. Desperate. For what? You watched her lips as they formed your name, and they pulled you in, sure as a rope around your neck. She held herself totally still, her shaky exhale brushing over your face like air escaping from a forge. Her hands were still locked around yours, and you used your hold on her jacket to pull yourself up, closing the distance, your eyes falling shut. 

Your lips brushed hers. Faint as feathers, barely touching, but you felt her whole body shudder at the contact. Something sparked in you at her reaction, at knowing you’d caused it. The feeling was intoxicating. You leaned in, pressing harder, feeling the rough ridges left by her teeth. She inhaled sharply against your mouth, and you parted your lips, moving closer- 

And then you were flying. 

Yang's hands slammed into your chest hard enough to leave you breathless, throwing you across the room. Your aura activated instinctively, barely in time as your legs caught the edge of the table, sending you tumbling through the air end over end. Finally, you hit something solid and felt it shatter under you, crashing through it until you slammed into the wall and crumpled, dropping limply to the ground. 

You lay there dazed, surrounded by fragmented wood and shattered glass, and above you Yang blazed. “What are you _doing_?!” 

The sound of her voice dragged you back. You struggled to sit up, ignoring splinters and cuts as you glared right back at her. “What are _you_ doing?!” You yelled back, anger flaring bright in you chest. You shoved yourself to your feet, or tried to. The room spun and you staggered, dropping to one knee to avoid falling entirely. You grit your jaw and braced yourself with a hand on the floor, baring your teeth up at her. “You, you- you’re leaving! Why? Just tell me why, Yang! What did I do?!” 

“I don’t want to!” Her aura flashed around her, snapping outward from the force of her emotions, painting the room with a burst of yellow. She was breathing hard, her face set angrily, but her eyes were wide, looking almost frantic. “I’m not trying to go!” 

“Then _stay!_ ” You pushed yourself up, and this time you managed to stay on your feet, clenching your fists and glaring at her desperately. “Stay here!” 

She made a noise of anguished frustration and hunched forward, burying her hands in her hair and pulling. “I _can’t_!” She yelled. “Don’t you get it now? I can’t stay here anymore!” Spinning around, she bolted for the door, the knob rattling as she fumbled to open it. 

“No!” You were tired of losing everyone, of everybody you cared about leaving you behind. You refused to let the one person you could count on just walk away. 

You flung yourself at her, petals fluttering in your wake, fist pulled back. Yang turned back at your shout, hand leaving the door knob, eyes widening even as she reacted. She caught you with a single outstretched arm before your punch ever landed, not shifting an inch as you slammed into her, like a lion snatching a bird from the air. Your breath left you in a rush, your legs continuing forward after the rest of you stopped, swinging upwards from your momentum. 

You gagged as you hung from her arm, mouth open as you struggled to pull in air. The anger drained out of her face in an instant, and her grip loosened. “Shit, Rubes, I’m sorry-” 

Kicking your feet forward so they tangled with her legs, you grabbed onto her arm with both hands and pulled, dragging her to the ground. You both crashed down in a sprawl of limbs, and you took advantage of Yang’s surprise, latching onto her to hold her down. Immediately, she began struggling, trying to throw you off, but it only made you hold tighter. 

The two of you rolled across the floor, thrashing wildly. Yang kicked and bucked, prying at your hold, trying to break free, but you just clung on tighter, wrapping yourself bodily around her. 

“Ruby!” She panted. Pleaded. “Ruby, stop!” 

She grabbed your arms, trying to peal you off, but you bit her fingers, making her recoil with a hiss. 

You were caught by surprise when her head snapped back, smashing into your nose. Without aura, it probably would have been crushed. The world flashed red, and for a moment your grip slipped, enough for her to begin pulling away. 

The moment you felt her start to slip away you clenched your fingers, catching the edge of her jacket. You pulled yourself back to her, throwing your arms around her and grabbing your wrists, locking yourself in place. 

She managed to stagger to her feet with you still hanging off her, taking a few lurching steps towards the door before you planted your feet and twisted, flinging you both back to the floor. She growled, and you could feel the vibrations of it in your bones. “ _Ruby._ ” She snarled, and your heart froze at the sound, going cold. Her hand twisted around, latching onto your shoulder with a crushing grip, heat scorching into your skin. “ _Let._ ** _Go!_** ” 

She threw you off her, sending you bouncing and skittering across the floor. You didn’t let the impact slow you, flailing to get your hands and feet under you, leaping back towards her before you were even finished sliding away. This time, though, she’d turned, and met your charge with her own. You hit the ground again, harder, and your vision flickered. You lashed out blindly, connecting with something solid, and Yang growled from somewhere above you. 

The fight shifted, Yang no longer trying to escape and instead turning to face you, lips peeled back, almost rabid. You refused to retreat, though, meeting her with a snarl of your own. You slammed into each other, hard enough to rattle the walls, your auras lighting up each half of the room in red and gold, clashing together in a blinding flash. 

Almost immediately you were overpowered, flung away across the length of the room, your back impacting the wall and leaving cracks in the wood. You didn’t care, though, because Yang followed, moving towards you, away from the door. You shoved off the wall and threw yourself at her again, managing to tackle her to the floor. 

The two of you tumbled around the room, tangled together in a flurry of flying limbs and sparking auras. Yellow filled your eyes, Yang’s semblance flaring with her anger. You were buffeted by waves of heat so powerful they were almost physical, so hot it smothered you, air seeming to catch in your throat. Every touch was like grabbing coals from a fire, burning your skin and stabbing you with sharp spikes of pain. You didn’t care. You had never cared, when she burned you. 

A chair was crushed when you went crashing through it. The side table was sent tumbling away by your combined weight, and you felt the desk lamp shatter under you, plunging the room into darkness. You barely even noticed through the haze of aura and adrenaline. You kicked out, slamming your heel into the muscles of her stomach. It was like hitting stone, not budging an inch, and your strike only managed to shove you away. She followed, snarling wildly, the sound filling the room. 

Finally, your back hit the ground again and stayed there, held down by Yang’s weight. Her hands were clenched around your arms, pinning them by your head, searing bright red handprints into your skin. Your chest heaved as you panted raggedly, blinking to clear the stars from your vision. 

Yang loomed over you, eyes burning like flames in the dark, painting her face in harsh red lines. It highlighted the white of her teeth as she bared them at you, wild and savage, and it felt like they should have had fangs. 

The fight paused, the world seeming to hang still as the two of you lay there, each watching the other. She stared down at you unblinking, face cast in a snarl, eyes boring into your own with an animalistic intensity. Your head throbbed, above your temple. You vaguely remembered clipping it on the table at some point, your aura not fully stopping it. You could feel warm liquid well up under your hair before overflowing, trickling down your cheek. Yang's eyes locked onto it, and you watched her pupils dilate, rimmed in glowing crimson like bloody eclipses. 

She moved slowly, hands sliding up your arms until they settled on your shoulders, burning on either side of your throat. You stilled when she touched you, you thoughts blowing away like leaves. Her hands glowed, the heat sinking through your skin, down into your muscles, and you relaxed, your fists falling open at your sides. You breathed deep, and that strange scent rushed into your lungs. Gunpowder and oil, but not, somehow- sweeter, softer, less acrid. It seemed to fill your head, clouding it in a pleasant haze. 

Her pheromones, you realized. You’d never smelled them before. You shouldn’t be _able_ to. You were sisters. It should be impossible. But they were pouring off her like water, drowning you. And she’d been caught up in yours, judging by the intoxicated look in her eyes. You’d been worked up, projecting without realizing it. No independent Alpha could control themselves long once they’d caught an Omega’s scent like this. 

Strangely, your first reaction wasn’t fear, or surprise, or anger. It was relief. Because Yang hadn’t given up. She wasn’t trying to leave. She just didn’t know how to stay. 

The feeling was enough to keep you from struggling as she tightened her grip on you. Distantly, you wondered how many of her pheromones you'd already breathed in. It was hard to care, more of a passing thought than real concern. 

She growled again, lower. The noise undulated quietly, sounding inquisitive. Her eyes were dazed, and they slid down, towards your neck. Her hair brushed over your chin as she leaned in, and you could feel her nuzzling her nose against your throat, inhaling deeply. 

The action sent sparks shooting through your veins, and you tensed, sucking in a sharp breath. She made a pleased noise low in her throat and pushed closer, parting her lips so she could drag her tongue over your thrumming pulse. 

You could feel yourself rapidly sinking into the haze, Yang’s weight on you seeming to fill your head. The part of your brain that was still in control told you that you couldn’t stay here, in the living room. You had to move. 

You latched onto her and lunged, both of you vanishing in a swirl of roses. You flung yourself through the halls, dragging her behind you until you crashed through the door to Yang’s room. It was the only one on the first floor- and as far from dad’s room as possible in the house. 

You tried to stop but Yang’s weight slammed into you from behind, sending you both to the ground hard enough to make your aura flash. 

This time it was Yang that was clinging to you, heavy hands tightening around your shoulders until you could hardly move. Her weight bore down on you, pinning you to the floor. You panicked a little, thrashing about instinctively, trying to escape. You managed to wriggle around until you could flip over onto your back, but only because she let you. 

Your chest heaved, and you stared up at her, heart beating frantically against your ribs. She hovered over you, intent, red eyes watching closely. Waiting to see what you would do. 

The air crackled between you. It was the same tension that had been thrumming beneath your skin downstairs, the same one that had been sizzling in the air for weeks, that had made its home in the silences between you. You’d thought it was anger, then, but it was impossible to mistake now, practically drowning you, making your blood burn with frantic energy, with _need_. You didn’t even think before lashing out, slamming your fist into her temple. 

She reared up with an angry roar, more in surprise than pain. A moment later she turned back, eyes glowing twice as bright, the temperature spiking with her fury. 

You brought your knees up to your chest and planted your feet in her stomach, kicking her away. Not far- she landed in a crouch, digging her hands and boots into the ground to stop herself from moving backwards. But far enough to wriggle out from under her, to get off the floor, scrambling to your feet. 

Adrenaline was surging through you, setting your blood on fire. Unfamiliar emotions pounded against your brain, making you feel dizzy and off balance. The temperature surged, an oppressive wave of heat slamming into you, hot enough to make you gasp. She was mere feet from you, hunched over on all fours with her teeth bared, like a predator about to strike. Her eyes glowed a hellish red, and her hair snapped in the air behind her, burning bright, framing her in blazing gold. 

The door was partially open, hanging crooked in the frame. It never occurred to you to run. 

She lunged, and even with your semblance you barely managed to avoid it, blurring backwards. But the haze filling your head distracted you, making you misjudge the distance, and you slammed hard into the wall. 

Yang knew you better than anyone, though. Knew how you thought, how you fought, how your semblance worked, and even lost in her frenzy she didn't forget. So she was already pivoting even as you dodged, turning to follow, and with your back to the wall you had nowhere to run except towards her. You dove forward, nothing but a streak of red, trying to slide under her arm. But she was ready for that too, and caught you around the middle, tackling you down and grounding you. 

You hit hard, her weight driving the breath out of your chest. Unfamiliar instincts flooded your mind, made you snarl fearfully, lashing out at her eyes with clawed fingers, and her aura flashed under your hand. She was stronger, but you wanted to _feel_ it. You wanted her to _prove_ it. So you thrashed and kicked and punched, throwing knees and elbows, using every bit of hand to hand training she’d ever managed to teach you. You rolled about, wrestling across the floor, skittering around the room with her bare inches from pinning you, fighting like a thing possessed. You bit her hands and twisted her fingers back, writhing madly, and with each moment that passed Yang grew more furious at your resistance. Once, you tried to grab her hair but immediately let go with a hiss, heat stabbing into your hand. 

Finally, Yang snarled, the sound utterly inhuman. Her hand lashed out, closed around your throat and _pulled_ , dragging your entire body up in the air, and you had one single moment to flail in alarm, flaring your aura on instinct. And then she slammed you back down with an almighty crash, so hard you felt wood splinter and buckle under you, driving you through the floor. Your head cracked against something hard, and your vision flickered, body going limp. 

You laid still for a second, stunned by the impact, limbs sprawled around you. That was all the time she needed to flip you over onto your stomach, leaving you exposed. Shaking your head, you planted your hands on the ground and shoved, pushing yourself back up. Until her hand came down on the back of your neck like a vice, crushing you back into the shattered floorboards. Shouting in frustration, you twisted and flung your elbow back, feeling it connect solidly with her cheek. She didn’t flinch, your elbow glancing off her like you’d struck a statue, and if she even felt the strike she gave no sign. 

Petals poured off you as you fought her hold, your body buzzing and flickering under her fist, but her grip stayed solid around your neck, holding you more surely than steel chains. Panting with one cheek pressed to the ground, you rolled your eyes back, looking behind you. And stared. 

Above you, Yang blazed like an avenging god. Her hair drifted in the air behind her like strands of liquid gold, nearly to bright to look at, filling the whole room with pulsing light. Her eyes were the purest crimson you’d ever seen, boring into you with complete, singular focus, furious and terrible. Steam billowed from her mouth with every heaving breath, floating in the air around her like smoke. Her lips were peeled back, baring her teeth in a snarl, her face cast in rippling yellow and orange from the light of her hair. 

She was still, her body tense and hard as steel, locked in place, immovable as stone. Her hair waved about her slowly, almost as if floating underwater, spreading out in a web of fire. It looked strangely peaceful, like the calm before the storm, the sea receding before a tsunami, the crystallized moment of silence just before an explosion. She was like an avatar of fire and rage, unstoppable, a promise of destruction. 

She was the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen. 

Your struggles slowed, winding down until you stopped entirely, laying still beneath her. She watched you, tense, wary, and seconds passed with both of you watching the other, unmoving. Finally her hand unclenched from your neck, loosening slowly, Yang watching you closely the entire time. But the fight was gone from you, and you stayed limp on the floor, looking back at her. Waiting. 

Eventually, her hand lifted away entirely, hovering. When you still didn’t move the tension bled out of her muscles and she huffed, satisfied and victorious. You watched the tight lines around her eyes fade, and her snarl relaxed into a pleased grin. Sharp, predatory, full of teeth. 

Her knees dropped heavily on either side of your hips as she leaned down, bracing her hand on the floor just in front of your face, hovering over you. You held your breath, and couldn’t help but feel like a rabbit being examined by a wolf. She brought her other hand up over your head, and you tensed as it lowered, growing to fill your vision. But instead of gripping, her fingers only brushed gently across your brow, sweeping your hair out of your face and tucking it behind your ear. 

You blinked up at her in surprise, and she looked back, meeting your eyes. Now that you weren’t fighting her, the fury had melted from her face, leaving it surprisingly open, and your breath caught at the tenderness there. She smiled, and it was the same one she’d always reserved just for you, soft and warm and reassuring, and transparent, holding nothing back. She leaned in, her nose skimming across your cheek before burying her face in your hair, and you heard her inhale, drinking in your scent. Then she turned south, tracing a winding route down, until her mouth was hovering over your nape. She exhaled, a hot gust of air rushing over your skin, raising goosebumps in its wake. You shivered as she tilted her head down, pressing her face into your shoulder, and your pulse quickened in anticipation. Carefully, moving for the first time, you tilted your head to the side, yielding more of your neck to her. She moved up, opening her mouth so her teeth dragged over your skin, breathing deeply, and- 

Flopped down on top of you. 

You let out an ‘ _oof_ _’_ as her body dropped onto yours, forcing a burst of air from your lungs. She nuzzled into the crook of your neck, practically purring. Her arms slipped under you, and you let out a slightly breathless laugh as she squeezed you to her like a particularly well loved stuffed animal. You could feel her smiling against your throat. 

Yang had always been a very tactile person. To her, personal space was reserved for strangers and enemies. Apparently, the instinct to cuddle ran deep. 

She wriggled about, rubbing against you as she shifted upwards, until she was high enough that she could tuck your head under her chin. The tough leather of her jacket dug in, and her jeans chafed against your skin, the thin and torn material of your pajamas doing little to pad them. Her hands slid up along your arms, gently gripping your wrists, and her legs kicked around a few times, her heavy boots scraping until they settled on top of yours. The movement would have seemed casual, if it wasn’t so deliberate. Even like this, her instincts were still driving her, telling her to pin you down, to capture you. You tugged your limbs a few times, softly at first but then harder, yanking and bucking, testing her hold. You hardly budged, only managing to wriggle, and her chest rumbled with satisfaction against your back. 

You mirrored the sound, settling down. Trapped under her, you felt more secure than you ever had in your life. The wood was hard, and the splintered floorboards dug in, but her heat seeped down into you, filling you up, and you let your eyes slide shut. 

Relaxed as you were, though, there was no chance of drifting off. You were hyperaware of Yang’s weight on you, of the pounding of her heart against you. You caught every tiny movement, every pulse, and you could feel her length pressing into your back through her jeans. Pleasant as this was, it was only a momentary pause. 

Sure enough, Yang soon began to press down, her weight on you becoming more deliberate. She shifted again on top of you, insistent rather than exploratory, and made an annoyed sound, grabbing at your shirt. The coil of heat had dimmed during your momentary pause, but now it sprang back to life, winding tighter. You squirmed about, managing to slip your other hand from her distracted hold. A growl began to rise warningly above you, but stopped short when she realized what you were doing. Levering herself up on her arms, she lifted herself off you enough for you to somewhat awkwardly grab hold of your tank top and pull it up over your head, tossing it away towards some corner of the room. Before you’d even finished Yang’s hands landed on your hips, hot fingers curling under the waistband of your sweatpants and tugging demandingly until you lifted your hips up, letting her drag them down and off your legs. 

Warm air brushed over your bared skin, and your blood quickened, heating up as your heart throbbed painfully in your chest. She was on you again in moments, gloved hands dragging heavily over your sides, latching onto your hips. She yanked you back, making you wince as splinters and fractured wood dragged across your skin, but the pain was forgotten a moment later when she bent down, pressing her face into your neck. 

Yang panted hard against your ear, blowing scalding clouds of steam across your cheek. The sound seemed to fill your head, heavy and labored, like a bull about to charge, and it flooded your mind with equal amounts of fear and anticipation. She leaned down onto you, her weight crushing your head against the floor, driving a breath from your lungs. You knew she wasn’t using her full strength, not even close. She was trying to keep herself in check, but there was only so much that an Alpha could do like this. No one would be surprised if you broke a bone tonight. 

Her fingers dug into your hips, tight enough to bruise, and she yanked them up, dragging you to your knees. You gasped and tensed, body locking up at being pulled into such an exposed position, at being so vulnerable. She yanked again, pulling you flush against her, and you clenched your eyes shut as a tremble ran down your spine, digging your fingers into the floor. 

Her hips bucked, tough denim scratching across your back. She let out a snarl of frustration and let go of your hip to grab at the front of her jeans. You heard her fumble at it for a few moments before she snarled again, louder, and a moment later the sound of tearing fabric came from behind you, her button flying through the air to clatter off the floor. 

She rose up above you, grasping your hips firmly, dragging you to her- and you froze when you felt her length, uncovered, pushing against your bare skin. It slipped between your legs, sliding across your core, not stopping until it’s head was pressed into your stomach. Yang groaned deep in her throat, a wave of heat flaring up behind you, and you felt her jump between your legs. 

You were shaking, fear and excitement clashing in your chest, making your stomach go cold and filling your veins with electricity. Your semblance activated in response, causing your body to twitch and buzz sporadically, petals sliding off you to drift down to the floor below. Your breaths came in short, rapid pants, making you feel dizzy as you hyperventilated. It was to much, to fast. You wanted to run, but wanted to stay, too, and it felt like you were being pulled apart by the two opposite emotions warring inside you. 

She pulled her hips back, her length rubbing against you the whole way. Then she stopped, lining herself up, the tip of her head pressing against your lips, just barely parting them. You jerked violently, petals bursting off you in a flurry, and couldn’t stop the small noise that forced its way out of your throat. 

She slowed for a moment and hummed lowly, reaching forward to drop a heavy hand on your head, pulling her fingers through your hair. It might have been meant as reassuring, but at that moment you hardly heard, unable to think past the feel of her pressing against you. 

Yang pushed into you slowly. Careful, but vehement, and impatient. Still to fast, and you gritted your teeth as you felt a flash of pain, quickly transforming into a persistent ache when she continued. You grunted and clenched your fists, biting your tongue to keep from making more noise. 

Yang stuttered behind you, grinding to a halt. She panted hard, and you could feel her shaking, fingers digging into your skin as she fought to hold herself still. Waiting for you, you realized with a shock. 

It was far more attentiveness than you had expected. More than you’d thought her capable of, even. An Alpha in a rut was a terrifying thing. 

You felt a surge of affection for her, and some deeper satisfaction, buried instincts rising to the surface, telling you that you had chosen well. 

It calmed you, slightly, enough to still the panicky shaking in your chest. Your breathing slowed, becoming more controlled, and you managed to deactivate your semblance, stopping the stream of roses pouring off you. You took a deep breath, full of gunpowder and oil, closing your eyes and forcing yourself to relax. 

This was Yang. She’d watched over you for as long as you could remember. She’d chased off dozens of other Alphas for you, sometimes more than one at a time. She’d fought an Ursa with no Aura or weapons for you. She’d cleaned every one of your scrapes and bruises, tucked you in, held you at night when the tears wouldn’t stop. You couldn’t be afraid of her. Yang would never hurt you, even now. 

But even her restraint had limits, it seemed. She groaned behind you, sounding almost pained, and her hips juttered forward, thrusting once before stopping again. She hunched over, breathing hard, and you could feel her heat spiking up fitfully behind you, straining to break free. 

Yang bent down over you, molding herself to your back, pressing her face between your shoulders. Her weight pushed your cheek down into the floor, and her fingers tightened on your hips, clenching convulsively. Her breaths were hot against the back of your neck, and you could feel her shaking, trembling from the tension wracking her body. She leaned forward, tilting her hips up. The movement caused her to shift inside you, making you gasp and jerk backwards in response, instinctively arching towards her. 

You bucked upwards, pushing yourself into her chest. You were the impatient one, now. You’d had enough of caution, of this brittle calm of hers. You groaned and rocked back, trying to press yourself harder against her, to tell her to move. 

She sucked in a sharp breath, half a growl and half a gasp, short and tight and full of elation. Her fingers clamped down on you, and heat billowed outwards from her, so powerful it pushed the air away, scattering splintered wood and fading rose petals across the room. Her hips juttered forward, short, quick thrusts that had you biting your lip, until she regained control and they evened out, beginning in earnest. 

You pressed your face into the floor, panting through clenched teeth, heedless of the dust you were inhaling. The feel of her in you hit some deeply ingrained nerve, had every part of you crying out in exultation. She rolled her hips forward, finding a new angle, some new piece of you that she hadn’t touched yet, and it dragged a moan from your lips, long and low. 

You could feel how much she was holding back, keeping herself restrained. Caught the occasional hint of the power she was keeping in check when her control slipped, resulting in a sudden surge of strength before it was clamped back down. You appreciated the effort, but knew instinctively that it wouldn’t be enough. She wouldn’t be satisfied until she was freed, until you had felt all of her strength. 

Incandescent strands of hair drifted down, brushing across your skin and tracing red lines in their wake. You gasped but didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away. You’d felt Yang’s semblance your entire life, been burned by it more times than you could count. You’d never resented her for it, never wanted her apologies. _Safe_ , was what it whispered to you. _Home._ It was instinct to press back towards it, to plunge in until it swallowed you whole, until all you could feel was _Yang_. 

She was cautious, but it was inevitable that her control would slip. Her hips stuttered as she tried to hold herself in check, to be as gentle as she could be, but soon they sped up, pounding into you with fast, hard strokes. You cried out, your body jerking back instinctively before you braced yourself, shoving yourself up off the floor to meet her. A noise tore its way out of her throat and heat flared wildly behind you, blasting your hair away from your face. Her grip tightened and she yanked you closer, becoming more ferocious, more savage. 

Pressure built shockingly fast below your stomach, and almost before you realized it you cried out, spasming around her. She didn’t slow, the sound only encouraging her to move faster. You clawed at the shattered wood beneath you, gasping and snarling wildly as your vision flashed white, ecstasy overloading your mind.

But still she only grew stronger, and before long you were heaving for air, wavering dangerously under her. You nearly collapsed from her next thrust, bracing your elbows to hold yourself up. She adjusted her grip on you, looping an arm around to hug your waist and pulling you towards her, holding you in place. Her other hand pressed onto the back of your neck, pinning you down, tightening as she used it to pull herself forward. She didn’t stop again, only growing fiercer, dragging ragged gasps from your chest. 

You could feel the moment she gave herself over to the heat, the last of her restraint melting away. Her grip tightened on you until it ached, until your aura flared bright red under her fist. She snarled loudly, the sound filling your ears, and she dragged you back to meet her as she fucked you harshly, heat flaring each time your hips met. The noises spilling from your lips petered off, becoming nothing but tight, high-pitched puffs, the pleasure surging so high you nearly forgot to breathe. 

Blindly, you reached back until you found her head, wrapping your arm around her neck and dragging her down, pulling her against you. A reflexive snarl ripped out of her throat, but she didn’t resist, only becoming more ferocious, crushing you down against the floor. Your hand sank into her hair, and it burned like you’d plunged it into a fire. It only made you hold tighter. 

Yang surrounded you, pressing into your back, her hair hanging around you like curtains of flame, so bright you could see the glow through your eyelids. Heat buffeted you from all sides, causing sweat to pour off your skin in rivulets, your body desperately trying to cool itself. You felt dizzy, lightheaded, and your brain pounded in time with the frantic beating of your heart, filling your ears. Your breaths came in shallow, rapid pants, pulling in searing air like fire. You opened your mouth wide and sucked in as much of it as you could, until it felt like your chest might burst. Gunpowder and flames filled your lungs, your head, your heart, and everything spun until you could hardly tell which way was up, and it felt like you might float away. But you could still find Yang. She blazed like the sun and you arched towards her, wanting more even as she overwhelmed you. 

You were aware of losing your grip on her hair, your hand slipping free and dropping heavily to the floor next to you. You felt when your legs finally gave out, leaving you hanging from Yang’s arm. She was to far gone to slow, to even notice, dragging you up and crushing you to her front. Her lungs worked like bellows in a forge, pressing out bursts of superheated air into your hair, and steam poured off her, filling the room as her sweat flashed instantly to vapor. The blackness behind your eyelids fled, burned away by gold, and then gold bled into white, and you lost yourself in the moment, in the feel of her. 

When you came to again you were laying on the ground with Yang slumped on top of you, ragged breaths loud in your ears. The heat radiating from her was rapidly fading, only sweltering now rather than suffocating. The light from her hair dimmed, and the room darkened with it, until it was lit only by a faint glow of gold. 

Pressure built between your legs as she began to swell up, locking her inside of you. She wiggled her hips a few times to test the seal. Satisfied, she finally rolled off of you onto her side, tugging you with her and hugging you to her chest. 

You blinked, trying to clear your vision, bursts of yellow light still seared across your eyes. Your body was so completely drenched in sweat it was like you’d been swimming, and your mouth was bone dry, your tongue feeling like it was made of leather. 

Gradually, though, the room ceased spinning, and your head stopped feeling like it might drift away. Yang nuzzled her face against the top of your head, snuggling you closer, her low, satisfied growl rising to fill the room. You sank back into her and let your eyes fall shut, but resisted the pull of sleep. Yang would be waking up, soon. 

Minutes ticked by as the two of you laid there, the air in the room beginning to cool. The soft rumbling in her chest slowly faded, becoming quieter and quieter, until finally it trailed off completely. There was a minute of silence before she began to move again, shifting her weight.

A groggy noise of surprise came from behind you when she bumped against you, and you felt her pull her head back, puffing to blow your hair out of her face. 

“Ruby?” Yang asked, voice faint and confused. She sounded like she had just woken up. Arms shifted around you, and you could practically feel her brows furrowing. “What are-” 

She cut off abruptly, her whole body stiffening in realization. You held still as her hands patted over you, finding nothing but naked skin. She swallowed hard. “Did- did I-? Oh, Gods.” She jerked back, trying to pull away, but you were still tied together. “Gods. Ruby. I didn’t- I didn’t mean to-” She choked off, pushing herself up on her elbow. Her hand fluttered over you agitatedly, like she was afraid to touch you. Fingers danced over the streak of blood on your temple, then down the dark bruises on your shoulders, across your back where your skin was seared red, to your hips where her fingers had been clenched. “Fuck. Fuck, I’m- _shit_.” 

Her breathing was coming in rapid gasps, short and panicky. Moving slowly so you wouldn’t startle her, you carefully reached up and touched her hand. She flinched, pulling away. “R-Ruby?” She asked, voice trembling. “Ruby? Can you hear me?” 

“Yeah.” You shifted, rolling closer so you could grip her hand more firmly. “It’s fine, Yang. I’m fine.” 

“Fine?” She repeated disbelievingly. “I hit you. I beat the hell out of you. Fuck, I- I smashed you through the floor.” 

“My aura took most of it.” She made a noise like she’d been struck, trying to pull away again. You tightened your grip, not letting her go. You tugged at her arm, and she resisted for a moment before giving in, letting you pull her closer. “Hey. It’s okay, Yang. I’ll heal in a few days.” 

But it seemed like your words only made it worse, every assurance just causing her to shake harder, her breathing becoming thick and ragged. You wrapped her arm around you again, rubbing your thumb across the back of her hand. “I’m alright, Yang. I promise. It’s okay.” 

She shuddered against you. You tried to turn to look at her but she stopped you, burying her face in your hair so you couldn’t see her. “I’m sorry.” She whispered, her voice breaking, and with a jolt you realized she was crying. She pulled you closer, hugging you to her chest like she thought she’d lost you, shaking with barely restrained cries. “I’m s- _sorry_ , Ruby.” 

Yang hated it when you saw her cry. Ever since you were little she had always tried to hide it, covering it up with a smile, trying to shield you from whatever had hurt her. It tore at you, every time. 

You didn’t try to turn again, looking straight ahead, as if that would stop you from noticing her choked sobs, or the scalding tears soaking into your skin. Instead you reached back blindly until you found her head, tangling your fingers loosely in her hair. “It’s okay, Yang.” You told her, making your voice as clear and honest as possible. “I’m not upset. It’s not your fault.” 

She shook her head. “Stop- stop saying that. How can you say that? After- after I-“ She cut off with a sob, hunching over and shaking. 

The realization hit you like a bolt of lightning, shooting down your spine and through your chest. She thought you were scared. She’d mistaken your furious struggles for attempts to escape. 

She thought she’d been hurting you. 

“Yang.” You said urgently, wrapping your fingers around the arm across your stomach, reaching back farther to press your hand to her head. “Yang, listen. I’m fine. I could have gotten away if I wanted to.” 

It was true, and she’d see that as soon as she calmed down. You’d only been free for a few seconds, but that was all it took for you. You hadn’t needed to stay. You could have just dissolved into roses, streaked past her and been gone before she even realized it. 

She shuddered again, sucking in a loud breath. You pressed towards her, molding your back to her more firmly. “I wasn’t trying to run, Yang.” You assured her. “I wanted you to catch me.” 

Finally, your words seemed to reach her. The iron band of her arm around you loosened a fraction, and her choked breaths began to come easier. You pressed your head back, nuzzling her cheek. “It’s okay, Yang. Really. I’m not hurt. I chose to stay.” 

She swallowed, gritting her teeth so hard you could hear them creaking. “I still- I made you. Stupid- stupid **_fucking_** pheromones.” She spat it like it was a curse. Dark and furious, and full of pain. You tugged on her hair to pull her head closer and she came easily, letting you brush your fingers across her forehead. “It was going to happen one day, Yang. I’m not upset that it was you. You couldn’t help it. I’m the one who stopped you from leaving.” 

She was beginning to slow, her shuddering dying down to soft trembling and the occasional hiccup. You pressed your palm flat against the top of her head, the same way she always did for you when you’d woken from a nightmare in the middle of the night, when you were afraid and couldn’t stop shaking. She’d sit with you in the dark and hold you close, waiting for you to calm, dragging her hand over your head until you drifted off to sleep again. You pressed your fingers into her hair, dragging your nails across her scalp softly, and she let out a long, shuddering sigh. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered again, so small you barely heard. You shook your head in denial. “I trust you more than anybody, Yang. I love you more than anything. If I had to pick someone, I’m glad it was you.” 

She huffed ruefully, and you could feel her lips turn down against your hair. “Even though we’re sisters?” 

You answered immediately, the words coming out before you could think twice. “Are we?” 

Siblings were immune to each other’s pheromones. They had no desire to mate. They couldn’t bond. And yet here you were, with her scent sinking into your skin, mingling with your own, marking you irreversibly. An impossibility, unless it wasn’t. 

She went still against your back, frozen in surprise. But a moment later she growled and tightened her grip, squeezing you to her chest. “We are.” She swore fiercely. “We always will be. No matter what.” 

You huffed a laugh and shook your head disbelievingly, unable to hold back your fondness for her. Trust Yang to hold on tight, to stubborn to let go even when it would be easier to. Would be better. 

But, some things couldn’t just be ignored so easily. “You know what this means?” You asked. She had to know, must have figured it out. But still, you needed to ask. 

She sucked in a long breath, blowing it out slowly. “Yeah.” She sighed, quiet. “It means dad- Tai. It means either he’s not my father, or- or he’s not yours.” 

You swallowed, feeling your chest tighten. You’d suspected, obviously, when you'd realized what was happening. It was the obvious answer. The _only_ answer, really, that made sense. But only now was it really hitting you, when the frantic pulse of your body slowed enough to think. It hurt. And not just because it meant your relationship with your family was built on a lie. You loved your dad, and you loved Yang, and it _sucked_ that something like this had happened. 

But it wasn’t just that. Worse. It raised questions- uncomfortable questions, ones you didn't want to ask. Out of the two of you, anyone could see that Yang was Tai's daughter. Big, strong, blonde. They walked the same, talked the same, fought the same, had the same habits- a day didn’t go by when they weren’t fighting about who ate the last of the Creeper Crunches. 

You were short, lean. You had dark hair, and couldn’t throw a punch to save your life. You’d rather sit in your room and work on Crescent Rose than make friends. You were the only one in the house who ate Beowulf Bites. Ever since you could remember, people were always surprised you were her sister, that you were related at all, always commenting on how different you were. 

Had dad known _,_ all this time? Had he lied to you, tried to hide it? 

But that made no sense. He just wasn't like that- he was the _opposite_ of that, always blunt and brutally honest, just as straightforward as Yang. He wouldn't try something like that. More than that, he _couldn't_ , even if he wanted to. An independent Alpha and an unclaimed Omega, who weren’t siblings, living under one roof? There was only one way that story was ever going to end. 

Which left the other possibility. That he _hadn't_ know. That this was just as much a shock to him as it was to you. And that- that was worse. 

You’d never known Summer Rose. Never met her, never spoken to her, never heard her voice. But you loved her anyways. You wore your cloak because it was the only thing she had left you. Her picture sat next to your bed. You'd grown up hearing stories of her, devouring any scraps of her you could find and hording them more jealously than the rarest dust. They were few and far between, but always, always admiring, never a fault or flaw in them. You'd built her up, set her on a pedestal like the heroes from your stories, noble and incorruptible. 

And now it was crumbling, tumbling down around you, and it felt like your whole world was falling with it. 

Yang seemed to pick up on your thoughts, rushing to reassure you. “It could be me. I mean, Raven ran off right after I was born, so I wouldn’t be surprised if-"

You cut her off. “It’s me.” It was pointless to deny it, but of course Yang would try anyways. She quieted behind you, not objecting again, and her silence was more damning than any words. 

You sighed, blowing out a long breath that sent splinters and dust rolling away. You let your head fall to the floor with a quiet thump. “Who do you think it was?” You couldn’t help but ask it. Who could it have been, that made your mother turn her back on her husband. 

Yang swallowed hard, the sound loud enough to catch your attention. You turned your head, enough to see the gold of her hair. You hadn’t been expecting an answer from her, but… “Yang?” 

She hesitated, the silence stretching for another few moments. But then she blew out a sharp breath into your hair, dropping her head down into your shoulder. “I asked Qrow about it- that’s what you heard, before.” She started, jerkily. “I asked him about Raven, but he- he said some stuff. He was pretty drunk and let a few things slip. About him. And Summer.” 

Your muscles locked, eyes wide. “He- what?” 

Yang sighed, and she sounded so, so tired, pulling you closer. “Yeah. He didn’t say much- clammed up pretty quick once he realized I’d heard him. But- yeah. That's what it sounded like.” 

You’d known your uncle all your life. He was the one who watched over you and Yang when no one else could, who played with you in the woods, taught you to fight. He was the one who had dragged Dad out of bed on the worst days, who set him back on his feet, even when he was barely standing himself. He was loud, and irritable, and he drank to much, and ran away, sometimes. But he always came back. He had been there when you needed him. 

You stared ahead, mind spinning with shock. You had thought you were prepared. You could accept some dark silloghette you’d never know. Another huntsman maybe, or a stranger she’d met in a far away kingdom when she was on a hunt, alone for months on end. 

But for it to be someone you knew, who knew Tai. For it to be _Qrow..._

No wonder she hadn’t wanted to tell you. Tai wasn’t your father, Summer Rose wasn’t who you thought she was, and Qrow had betrayed his best friend and lied to all of you for years. 

And now you’d bonded with Yang. Things could never go back to the way they were before. No one in your life was who you thought they were. 

“I’m sorry.” Yang murmured again, quiet and heavy with guilt. You sighed, rolling your head back to press up against the underside of her chin. 

“It’s not your fault, Yang. It’s Qrow and mom’s, for doing what they did. It’s d- it’s _Tai’s_ , for locking himself in his room and leaving you alone. You were hurting too, and you needed him, but he still left.” 

She went quiet, long enough that you thought she might not reply. But then, “I still should have done something.” She murmured, and you felt a flash of anger at her insistence. “I could have tried harder. Could have-“ 

“What? Could have what?” You asked sharply, tired of this conversation. Tired of Yang trying to find reasons to hate herself. You tightened your grip on her hair, like that would let you keep her. “Jumped on the first Omega you managed to find? Or just- just run off and never come back? Like everybody else?” 

She stiffened, and heat billowed up at your back, your hand in her hair feeling like you’d plunged it into scalding water. Her arms tightened around you until you could hardly breathe. “ _No._ ” She snarled, savage, almost threatening, as if daring the world to try, and before you even realized it you felt yourself relax. “Never. I’m never leaving you, Ruby. Not for anything.” 

A smile slipped across your face, and you gently tugged on her hair, pulling it towards you until it fell over you like a heated blanket. “I know.” You told her, running your fingers through her hair. “I know you won’t. That’s why I’m glad it’s you.” You kept stroking her hair, and bit by bit the tension vibrating in her muscles eased until her hold softened, her arms cradling you, rather than clutching you possessively. “I’ll always pick you first, Yang. Any way I can. I don’t care how, as long as you’re with me.” 

She let out a stuttering breath, pressing her face into your hair. Feeling around, she found your hand and caught it, winding your fingers together. “I- yeah. You too. I love you, sis. More than anything.” 

Silence fell over you after her quiet declaration. You could feel the bond already beginning to settle, invisible chains wrapping around you, binding you together. There was a new scent mixing in with hers. Freshly cut roses and hard, cold steel. 

And then she sighed wearily, curling into you. “What’s dad going to say?” She asked quietly, voice heavy. Your stomach twisted. 

You could forgive them, you thought. You loved your family to much to be the one to push them away. But… still. 

“We’ll talk to them. Both of them.” If there was one thing you’d learned from this family, it was that hiding from each other only made things worse. 

“Qrow hasn’t been answering his scroll.” Yang told you.

You sighed, dropping your head to the floor with a thump. “Where’s the nearest bar?” 

“Where’s the _farthest_ bar?” 

You huffed a laugh. “Heh. True.” You wouldn’t be surprised if he was in Mantle by now. 

Yang pressed her face into your hair, taking a deep breath. She let it out slowly, blowing hot air against your head. “Dad’s team was a mess, huh?” 

You snorted at that, settling back against her. The last of the sweltering heat had finally faded, leaving behind cool air to press against your damp skin, but Yang’s warmth kept you from shivering. The two of you were still laying in a crater in the floor, and the room was absolutely wrecked. Nearly every piece of furniture was broken, the walls were covered in cracks, the door was barely attached to the wall, and, you noticed, the window had shattered at some point. You had no idea what state the living room was in. You couldn’t find it in yourself to care. 

Tomorrow, this quiet calm would break. Tomorrow you’d have to face everyone- Tai, and Qrow, the rest of Patch. 

But for now, it was still dark. Right now, it was just you and Yang. Together. 

**Author's Note:**

> Tada.
> 
> Don't really have much to say about this story. I started writing it years ago, but, like all my stories from back then, I gave up almost immediately, and this has just been sitting in a folder forgotten ever since. I recently found Xekstrin again, which is what reminded me of it. It seems like they're still writing, so go check them out if you want.
> 
> The intro of this story, up to where Ruby gets thrown across the room, is from my much, much younger self, so tell me how it compares to now.


End file.
